Melinda and Melinda (2004)

Voti degli utenti:

6.6/10   

Regista:

Woody Allen

Sceneggiatore (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Data di uscita:

29 ottobre 2004 (Spain)

Genere:

Commedia | Drammatico

Slogan:

Life can be a comedy or a tragedy, it all depends on how you look at it.

Plot:

Two alternating stories about Melinda's (Mitchell) attempts to straighten out her life.

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Party | Multiple Roles | Extramarital Affair | Alcoholism

Recensioni degli utenti:

Delightful mix of experimentation, casual self-reflection and fairly well-delivered entertainment

Cast

Wallace Shawn	...	Sy
Neil Pepe	...	Al
Stephanie Roth Haberle	...	Louise
Larry Pine	...	Max
Radha Mitchell	...	Melinda
Michael J. Farina	...	Man with Dog
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Lee
Chloë Sevigny	...	Laurel
Matt Servitto	...	Jack Oliver
Arija Bareikis	...	Sally Oliver
Brooke Smith	...	Cassie
Zak Orth	...	Peter
Will Ferrell	...	Hobie
Andy Borowitz	...	Doug
Amanda Peet	...	Susan
Shalom Harlow	...	Joan
David Aaron Baker	...	Steve
Christina Kirk	...	Jennifer
Alyssa Pridham	...	Acting Student
Katie Kreisler	...	Director
Quincy Rose	...	2nd A.D.
Steve Carell	...	Walt
Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Ellis
Richard Holmes	...	Party Guest (as Rick Vincent Holmes)
Michelle Durning	...	Party Guest (as Michele Durning)
Geoffrey Nauffts	...	Bud
Josh Brolin	...	Greg
Yi-wen Jiang	...	Shanghai Quartet (as Yi-Wen Jiang)
Honggang Li	...	Shanghai Quartet
Weigang Li	...	Shanghai Quartet
Nick Tzavaras	...	Shanghai Quartet (as Nicholas Tzavaras)
Rob Buntzen	...	Antique Shop Owner
Daniel Sunjata	...	Billy
Vinessa Shaw	...	Stacey
resto del cast in ordine alfabetico:
Jacqueline Lovell	...	Halloween Partygoer (unconfirmed)
Lauren Adler	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Michalina Almindo	...	Susan's Neighbor (uncredited)
James Ecklund	...	Kissing Guy (uncredited)
Kenneth Edelson	...	Disco Guest (uncredited)
Alex Harder	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Sabrina Lloyd	...	(uncredited)

Regia di
Woody Allen

Scritto da (WGA)
Woody Allen		(written by)

Prodotto da
Letty Aronson	....	producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	co-executive producer
Helen Robin	....	co-producer
Jack Rollins	....	co-executive producer
Stephen Tenenbaum	....	executive producer

Fotografia di
Vilmos Zsigmond		(director of photography)

Montaggio di
Alisa Lepselter

Responsabile casting
Juliet Taylor

Scenografie di
Santo Loquasto

Architetto-scenografo
Tom Warren

Arredatore
Regina Graves

Costumi di
Judy L. Ruskin		(as Judy Ruskin Howell)

Trucco
Robert Fama	....	hair stylist
Wayne Herndon	....	key hair stylist
Lori Hicks	....	key makeup artist
Nuria Sitja	....	makeup artist
Lorraine Godfrey	....	additional hair stylist (uncredited)

Direttore di produzione
Helen Robin	....	unit production manager

Aiuto regista
Dean Garvin	....	second assistant director
Richard Patrick	....	first assistant director
Kevin Shaw	....	dga trainee
Kathleen E. Kearney	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Danielle Rigby	....	first assistant director: reshoots (uncredited)

Dipartimento artistico
Julia Barraclough	....	scenic artist
Michael J. Cerullo	....	chief construction grip (as Michael Cerullo)
Ed Ferraro	....	stand-by carpenter
Danielle Giovanniello	....	assistant property master
Rafael Gonell	....	art department/shop assistant
Daniel K. Grosso	....	leadman
John Kouromihelakis	....	art department/shop assistant
Glenn Lloyd	....	art department coordinator
Wayne Moss	....	construction coordinator
Ron Petagna	....	head carpenter (as Ronald Petagna)
Chinyere Ryan	....	scenic artist
Cliff Schorr	....	stand-by scenic artist
R. Vincent Smith	....	assistant property master
James Sorice	....	master scenic artist
Paul Weathered	....	property master
Frank Weysos	....	art department/shop assistant (as Frank Leal)
Sarah Maine	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sonoro
Gary Alper	....	production sound mixer
Coll Anderson	....	foley editor
Michael Barry	....	re-recording mixer
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Ryan Collison	....	foley recording engineer
Frank Graziadei	....	boom operator
Robert Hein	....	supervising sound editor
Thomas Kodros	....	consultant: Dolby Sound
Michelle Mader	....	cable person
Sylvia Menno	....	dialogue editor
Dave Paterson	....	sound effects editor
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Marilyn Teorey	....	apprentice sound editor
David Wahnon	....	first assistant sound editor
Akil Wilson	....	assistant sound editor

Effetti speciali
John Ottesen	....	special effects coordinator

Riprese e attrezzature elettriche
Matt Balzarini	....	second assistant camera
David E. Baron	....	first assistant camera
Michael Green	....	camera operator
Scott Gregoire	....	best boy electric
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer
Elizabeth Hedges	....	camera loader
Petr Hlinomaz	....	gaffer
Gary Martone	....	key grip
Jessica Miglio	....	still photographer assistant
Tally Morse	....	dolly grip
Charles Quinlivan	....	best boy grip
Kyle Rudolph	....	steadicam
David J. Thompson	....	steadicam (as David Thompson)
Tim Davies	....	grip (uncredited)
Glenn Fishel	....	grip (uncredited)
Anna Novick	....	grip (uncredited)
Jon W. Rosenbloom	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting: Kee Casting
Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto	....	casting associate
Julie Schubert	....	casting assistant
Bill Tripician	....	extras casting associate

Costume e guardaroba
Michael Adkins	....	wardrobe supervisor
Stephanie Biear	....	shop wardrobe supervisor
Mark Cronogue	....	costume assistant
Winsome G. McKoy	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Winsome McKoy)
Yleana Nunez	....	costume assistant (as Yleana Nuñez)
Frankie Ritacco	....	assistant costume designer (as Frankie Ritacco Sirianni)

Dipartimento editoriale
Sara Corrigan	....	first assistant editor
Elise DuRant	....	apprentice editor (as Elise Du Rant)
Morgan Neville	....	assistant editor (as Neville A. Morgan)

Reparto musiche
Jill Meyers	....	music clearances
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music recording engineer
Dick Hyman	....	musician: piano (uncredited)

Reparti trasporti
Peter Tavis	....	transportation captain
Timothy J. Wood	....	transportation co-captain

Altro personale
Sarah Allentuch	....	assistant: Mr. Allen
Abby Bailey	....	assistant production accountant
Daniela Barbosa	....	set production assistant
Greg Conroy	....	location scout
Edgar de la O.	....	production office assistant (as Edgar de la O)
Leo Driver	....	parking coordinator
Tracy Ershow	....	set production assistant
James Feldman	....	set production assistant
Eduardo Garabal	....	location assistant
Steve Gilbaud	....	payroll accountant (as Steve Guilbaud)
Janet Henry	....	location scout
Scott Kordish	....	production coordinator
Brian Lamia	....	location assistant
Adam Leon	....	production office assistant
Pietro Lorino Jr.	....	production accountant
Daniel Lowe	....	production assistant (as Daniel Hamilton-Lowe)
Derek J. Manganelli	....	location assistant (as Derek Manganelli)
Gil McKinney	....	set production assistant
Christie Mullen	....	location manager
John Spady	....	location scout
Irwin Tenenbaum	....	legal services: Loeb & Loeb (as Irwin J. Tenenbaum)
Amy R. Trachtman	....	assistant production coordinator
Carl Turnquest Jr.	....	projectionist
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor
Sheila Waldron	....	script supervisor (as Sheila G. Waldron)
Eric Wrolstad	....	assistant location manager
Leslee Dart	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Ged Dickersin	....	location scout (uncredited)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Joe James	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Justin Pandolfino	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Christine Putnam	....	production assistant (uncredited)
William Sepulveda	....	craft service (uncredited)
Eugene Stamos	....	additional craft service assistant (uncredited)

Ringraziamenti
Greg Johnson	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank
Jessica Rose	....	thanks

Società di produzione

• Fox Searchlight Pictures (presents)
• Gravier Productions
• Perdido Productions (uncredited)

Distributori

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (2004) (worldwide) (all media) (as Twentieth Century Fox)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Television (????) (USA) (TV) (A News Corporation Company)
• Bontonfilm (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)

Altre società

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as AON/Albert G. Rubin Inc.)
• Artists Rights Society  thanks (as Artists Rights Society {ARS})
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll
• Big Film Design  titles & opticals
• Bragman Nyman Cafarelli (BNC)  thanks
• Buco Restaurant, Il  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance
• Cathy Waterman  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance
• Chopard  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance
• Daily Racing Form  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance
• Davie Brown Entertainment (I)  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance (as Davie-Brown Entertainment)
• International Film Guarantors  completion guarantee
• J.G. Films  negative matching
• JewlServ  thanks
• Kee Casting  extras casting
• Kodak  motion picture film
• Liz Lange Maternity  thanks
• Loeb and Loeb  legal services (as Loeb & Loeb)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance (as The N.Y.C. Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting)
• Orbit Digital  avid equipment
• PMK/HBH  publicity
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Pastis Restaurant  thanks (as Pastis)
• Propaganda Global Entertainment Marketing  thanks (as Propaganda G-E-M)
• Reinstein/Ross  thanks
• SoHo Gem  thanks
• The McKenna Brothers  craft service (as McKenna Brothers)
• Tramp-O-Land  thanks
• Universal Studios Licensing  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance: "The Black Cat" footage
• Vintage New York  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank the following for their assistance
• Vitraux by Alejandra  thanks

Alias:

Melinda & Melinda (USA) (alternative spelling)
Untitled Woody Allen Fall Project (USA) (working title)
Melinda e Melinda (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for adult situations involving sexuality, and some substance material.

Durata:

99 min

Nazionalità:

USA

Lingua:

Inglese

Colore:

Colore

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sonoro:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Divieti:

Iceland:12 | Hungary:14 | Norway:A | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-7 | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:12A | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40800) | Germany:o.Al.

Luoghi riprese:

Dune Road, The Hamptons, Long Island, New York, USA

Compagnia:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Curiosità:

Winona Ryder was originally cast as Melinda, but was forced to drop out because no agency would insure her due to her famous arrest for shoplifting. Woody Allen stated in the book "Conversations with Woody Allen" that he wanted to cast Ryder, but he couldn't get a bonding on her.

Errori:

Errori rivelatori: When Melinda, Walt and Hobie are watching the first race at the race track, Walt says, "No! You did not bet on Bedazzler! That's a nine-to-one horse!" There then follows a scene of Melinda and Hobie talking, following by another scene of them watching a horse race with Walt, in which the dialogue track has been removed from underneath the musical score. However, if you look at Walt's lips during this second scene, he is clearly saying, once again, "No! You did not bet on Bedazzler! That's a nine-to-one horse!"

Citazioni:

Susan: You look a little carsick.
Hobie: Why, 'cause I'm the color of guacamole?

Collegamenti:

Fa riferimento a Vanya on 42nd Street (1994)

Colonna sonora:

Comin' At Ya

Delightful mix of experimentation, casual self-reflection and fairly well-delivered entertainment

Have you ever had one of those days when life seemed terrible and everything in your world made you miserable?

But then have you had one such day and, in a moment - maybe after a word from a loved one or friend, or a sudden flash of inspiration, or even a physiological stimulus such as a cup of coffee - realised things weren't so miserable after all - maybe even had tears of sorrow turn to tears of laughter? And if those tears keep flowing, aren't they the same tears?

A couple of playwrights, New York intellectuals, are idly discussing the 'life is tragedy or comedy according to your perspective' theme in a Manhattan café. So starts Woody Allen story in Melinda and Melinda. Working from a basic storyline, a girl arriving unannounced at a dinner party, two alternative stories unfold, one comic and one tragic. Both overlap without being identical, in themes, the actress playing the visitor, and sometimes even dialogue.

I started off concentrating hard to make sure I didn't confuse the two interwoven tales, and also concentrating hard to see if a deep philosophical point was going to be made. After half an hour or so I stopped giving too much effort to either and just sat back and enjoyed.

As entertainment, Melinda and Melinda contains so many wonderful ingredients - wit, pathos, hilarity, great acting, suspense, moral intrigue. Visually it's also very pleasing - from the lovingly crafted and vibrant New York interiors of which Allen is so fond, to the eye candy in the form of hunks like Chiwetel Ejiofor (the captivating suitor to one of the Melindas) or the remarkable Chloë Sevigny.

Sevigny, in a supporting role, gives a beautifully nuanced performance. As an actress, she has not relied on her sylph like looks but adamantly stuck to parts in (largely) Independent films that both develop her as an actress and show her commitment and integrity in her profession.

But the main role, that of Melinda(s), is reserved for Radha Mitchell, who has to play both a seriously (and slightly scary) tragic persona, hair and worn features showing her traumatic life, and then moments later the comic Melinda whose madcap gaiety puts a sparkle into proceedings. Both roles are pushed - especially in a scene where each Melinda tries to throw herself from a window. The difference between comedy and tragedy is mostly visible in Melinda.

Woody Allen is a professional filmmaker that consistently churns out movies on a very reasonable budget, some better, some worse, but very rarely is there one that doesn't provide a passable hour and a half of entertainment for the price of admission. There are some people who mostly dislike his work, or are only won over by masterpieces such as Hannah and Her Sisters, or ones that come close, like Deconstructing Harry or Mighty Aphrodite. Melinda and Melinda is probably not in either league, but it is still a very worthwhile accomplishment. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it's a moving film in places and plays with ideas like suspension of belief. And yes, it made me think - but so much so that serious reflection got in the way of pure enjoyment.

There are plenty of flaws - the basic idea never rises above armchair philosophy, there is no great resolution to bring a sense of meaning after the film has finished. The difference between tragedy and comedy for instance, while it might be separated by a hair's breadth in the cosmic scale of things (or within writers' building blocks), is very real for people undergoing real tragedy. Laughter can be justified more easily when it lightens suffering, rather than laughing at it or ignoring it. Cinema has its limits. Interestingly, Allen's cinema has plenty of self-imposed limits that suggest it doesn't take itself too seriously - no expensive special effects, A-List stars only in moderation, no lingering close-ups for actors to practise Oscar-begging expressions; it borrows far more from European than British or American cinema. He seems to get on with the job instead of making it all-important in itself. Even his own philosophising seems not to draw direct attention in his films. "I have an extremely pessimistic outlook and so to me the glass is always empty. Not half empty, but completely empty. My feelings are summed up by the character who says, in effect, that life is basically tragic but there are little islands of comedy in it."

If you have very fixed views about Woody Allen films you will already know whether you want to go and see Melinda and Melinda. For others, you may find that the deft delivery of comedy is worth more than a cursory glance. Allen's prolific output, occasional innovation, and his apparent consistent ability to follow his own agenda rather than that of the big studios mark him as someone to watch both now and by film historians.

Ironically, for someone with such an outlook, he contributes many 'little islands of comedy' to what might be seen as a long-suffering and out of touch industry. I definitely enjoyed this bout of island hopping.